Tesla Energy, Brookfield, & Dacra Are Developing A Large-Scale Sustainable Neighborhood In Austin, Texas
Tesla Energy, Brookfield Asset Management, and Dacra are teaming up to create SunHouse at Easton Park, Brookfield announced. This is the first Tesla Solar neighborhood and will be the nation’s most sustainable residential community, according to the companies. Brookfield and Dacra are combining their real estate experience with Tesla Energy’s products and wisdom to create a unique neighborhood that I think could be the first of many more to come.
Brookfield noted that Tesla’s V3 solar roof tiles and Powerwall 2 battery storage system will be installed in phases at homes in the SunHouse community that will be developed on land in Brookfield Residential’s Easton Park. The first phase of installation started last month with a sampling of homes under construction.
These installations will provide insight and information on product integration and will guide the installation at the next phase. The master-planned community of homes will be the final phase of the process. The goal is to establish an energy-neutral, sustainable community and a model for the design and construction of sustainable large-scale housing projects around the world.
Tesla Solar will provide ongoing oversight of the homes’ energy systems. Brookfield’s renewable power business will integrate a community-wide solar program that will serve broader public use needs and those of surrounding neighborhoods. Brookfield Residential noted that it will also incorporate a suite of technology features that include EV charging stations in each home and throughout the community.
Residents of these new homes will most likely produce enough energy to supply their daily needs while reducing daily demand on the electric grid. They will be provided with backup storage in the event of a power outage and may possibly be compensated for returning power to the energy grid.
Statements From The CEOs
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, said:
“Neighborhood solar installations across all housing types will reshape how people live. Brookfield and Dacra’s commitment to stay at the vanguard of that evolution is what makes them the right collaborator for Tesla Energy. The feedback we get from the solar and battery products used in this community will impact how we develop and launch new products.”
Brian Kingston, the CEO of Brookfield’s real estate business, shared how this would help Brookfield meet the demand for environmentally responsible communities of the future.
“This initiative brings together multiple parts of our organization with innovative and forward-thinking partners that share a commitment to advance the development of sustainable communities.
“As consumers increasingly seek out energy security alongside sustainable places to live, combining Tesla’s solar technology together with Brookfield’s real estate and renewables development capabilities will help us meet demand for environmentally responsible communities of the future.”
Craig Robins, CEO of Dacra, spoke of the overall goal that’s the best for everyone:
“Our goal is to establish that fully-sustainable neighborhoods are not only viable, but the best practical and economical choice.
“Together with Brookfield and Tesla, we are trying to change the world by creating technology-driven, energy independent communities that make the world a better place.”
The City of Austin and Travis County have both committed to sustainable development. Brookfield stated that it will work with Dacra and Tesla “over the next year to incorporate additional transportation, technology, and energy solutions to create this new paradigm for residential community development.”
“The City of Austin is excited for the arrival of these affordable options to housing powered by renewable energy,” Mayor Steve Adler of Austin said. “I am excited for the Tesla, Brookfield, and Dacra partnership’s approach to sustainable energy and housing as an example of the out-of-box thinking that continues to make our community a beacon of innovation for the rest of the country and world.”
This is exciting and I think it can be a blueprint for all housing types, whether for those who are buying homes or developers who rent out apartments. I really think that this could also benefit low-income housing as well. However, there will be several challenges in this regard. To me, owning a home is a luxury, and sadly, many others are in the same boat.
MarketWatch reported that many who buy houses are using their portfolios to do so — not their salaries. The article noted that the housing market is increasingly unequal and that it could be accompanying a K-shaped recovery from the Covid-induced downturn. Glenn Kelman, CEO of Redfin, touched upon how the pandemic widened the gap between those who have and those who don’t. “When I started in this business, there was a broad consensus around making the American dream accessible to middle- and lower-income people. After this year I now see housing as a luxury good.”
I’ve also seen numerous posts on TikTok from both Millennials and Gen Z-ers saying that owning a home is no longer the American dream, but a luxury for very few. And the idea of owning a smart home or a clean energy home is even more of a luxury.
Tesla can change this — and most likely will in the coming decade. I think that once these initial homes in the SunHouse community are all bought and functioning, all three of the companies can plan the next one, and as with Tesla’s Master Plan that Elon shared ages ago, this can transform from luxury to a product that more people will eventually be able to afford.
It’s a great start and I’m excited to see how Tesla can revolutionize the housing industry as it has done with the automotive, energy, and others.
The new and improved Hyundai IONIQ 5, or the hot-selling Chevy Equinox EV? Which electric SUV makes the smarter lease? Here’s the rundown.
Over 607,000 electric vehicles were sold in the US in the first half of 2025, thanks to some big discounts. Many automakers are currently offering generous savings, as Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” is set to end federal EV incentives at the end of September.
According to Cox Automotive’s latest EV Market Monitor report, EV incentives reached a record of nearly $8,500 in June, or about 15% off the average transaction price (ATP).
That’s more than double the incentives offered on gas-powered vehicles. Seven electric vehicles had an ATP below $40,000, including the Chevy Equinox EV. The Equinox EV was the top-selling EV in the price range.
Starting at just $34,995, GM calls it “America’s most affordable 315+ range EV.” The electric Equinox has already propelled Chevy to become the number two EV brand in the US behind Tesla.
Through the first half of the year, the Chevy Equinox EV accounted for nearly a third of GM’s electric vehicle sales. And it could have sold even more. A dealer in California reached out to Electrek, claiming they had to wait over a month to receive Equinox EV models. It’s now on track to be among the top three selling EVs in the US.
Which EV to lease: Chevy Equinox EV or Hyundai IONIQ 5
With leases starting at just $289 per month, it’s no wonder the electric SUV is flying off the lot. The offer is for 24 months with $3,909 due at signing.
Alternatively, you can opt for 0% APR financing for 60 months, which Chevy is offering on all 2025 electric vehicle models.
| 2025 Chevy Equinox EV trim | Starting Price | EPA-estimated Range | Monthly lease Price (July 2025) |
| LT FWD | $34,995 | 319 miles | $289 |
| LT AWD | $40,295 | 307 miles | $351 |
| RS FWD | $45,790 | 319 miles | $416 |
| RS AWD | $49,090 | 307 miles | $453 |
The base 2025 Chevy Equinox EV LT starts at $34,995 with up to 319 miles of range. The interior boasts up to 57.2 cu ft of space and a 17.7″ infotainment screen.
How does it compare to the IONIQ 5? Hyundai has upgraded its best-selling electric SUV with major improvements, including increased range (now up to 318 miles), a revamped interior and exterior, and a built-in NACS port to access Tesla Superchargers.
After cutting lease prices again this month, the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 is currently listed at just $179 per month.
However, that’s for the base SE mode, which has an EPA-estimated driving range of 245 miles. The longer-range IONIQ 5 SE RWD, with 318 miles range, can still be leased for just $199 per month right now. Both offers are for 24 months with $3,999 due at signing.
| 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 Trim | EV Powertrain | Driving Range (miles) | Starting Price* | Monthly lease price July 2025 |
| IONIQ 5 SE RWD Standard Range | 168-horsepower rear motor | 245 | $42,500 | $179 |
| IONIQ 5 SE RWD | 225-horsepower rear motor | 318 | $46,550 | $199 |
| IONIQ 5 SEL RWD | 225-horsepower rear motor | 318 | $49,500 | $209 |
| IONIQ 5 Limited RWD | 225-horsepower rear motor | 318 | $54,200 | $309 |
| IONIQ 5 SE Dual Motor AWD | 320-horsepower dual motor | 290 | $50,050 | $249 |
| IONIQ 5 SEL Dual Motor AWD | 320-horsepower dual motor | 290 | $53,000 | $259 |
| IONIQ 5 XRT Dual Motor AWD | 320 horsepower dual motor | 259 | $55,400 | $359 |
| IONIQ 5 Limited Dual Motor AWD | 320-horsepower dual motor | 269 | $58,100 | $299 |
Hyundai is also throwing in a complimentary ChargePoint Level 2 home charger with the purchase or lease of a new 2025 IONIQ 5. All IONIQ 5 trims are listed with 1.99% APR financing for up to 60 months.
The 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 offers up to 59.3 cu ft of cargo space with a dual 12.3″ driver display and infotainment system setup.
Both the Hyundai IONIQ 5 and Chevy Equinox EV are hard to pass up right now, with lease prices expected to be as low as they will ever be.
Looking to snag the savings while they last? You can use our links below to find offers on the Chevy Equinox EV and Hyundai IONIQ 5 near you.
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Volkswagen’s ID.3 just got a gold star from the folks at ADAC, Europe’s largest automobile club. After four years of pushing the all-electric hatchback to its limits in a long-term endurance test, the VW ID.3’s battery still held 91% of its original capacity – a big win for EV durability.
Engineers at ADAC’s Test and Technology Centre in Landsberg am Lech, Germany, put the ID.3 Pro S through its paces, clocking over 160,000 kilometers (roughly 99,400 miles). That’s the full length of VW’s battery warranty – eight years or 160,000 km – and the car came out swinging.
The ID.3 Pro S is equipped with a 77 kWh net-capacity battery. Volkswagen guarantees that its ID. models will keep at least 70% of their original net battery capacity by the end of the warranty period. After the test, the ID.3 beat that benchmark by a long shot.
The ADAC didn’t baby this car, either. Over 40% of the charging was done using DC fast chargers, and the vehicle was frequently left at 100% charge between test drives, sometimes for days at a time. (That’s a no-no for battery longevity, but it’s precisely why this test matters.)
Engineers kept a close eye on the ID.3’s battery health between drives. They also regularly updated the vehicle software, including installing Volkswagen’s EV Route Planner, which calculates optimal charging stops using real-time traffic and charge level data. One major update even bumped up the charging rate to 170 kW.
The software upgrades didn’t just improve charging – they helped boost efficiency too, especially over short distances and during chilly winter temps (0–5C/32–41F).
Beyond battery life, the VW ID.3 also scored high marks for build quality. Even after all those kilometers, ADAC said the chassis, suspension, steering, and body were still in solid shape – no significant wear or issues.
ADAC’s big piece of advice is to keep your software up to date. That made a noticeable difference in range and driving experience over the four-year test.
Martin Sander, a Volkswagen board of management member responsible for sales, marketing and after sales, says the results show its ID. line (including the US-made ID.4s) is built to last. “A high battery capacity of over 90% after 160,000 kilometers confirms our ID. models are also very attractive as used cars and continue to meet the requirements of our customers.”
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In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss Tesla announcing new Model 3 and Model Y variants, the robotaxi expansion wars, big Lucid news, and more
The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
We now have a Patreon if you want to help us avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.
Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET:
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